Method for operating a fuel cell system of a utility vehicle

Abstract

A method for operating a fuel cell system of a utility vehicle over multiple journeys includes: actuating a compressor arrangement that has a plurality of compressors such that pressurized air is provided, and supplying the pressurized air to the fuel cell system on the cathode side. The actuation includes: selecting a number and/or sequence of compressors from the plurality of compressors to be actuated for the journeys such that the selection of the number and/or sequence differs at least for two consecutive journeys of the utility vehicle. Further, a fuel cell system is able to be operated in this manner. A control unit and a computer program product can also be configured to operate a fuel cell system of a utility vehicle over multiple journeys.

1 . A method for operating a fuel cell system of a utility vehicle over multiple journeys, the method comprising:
 actuating a compressor arrangement having a plurality of compressors such that pressurized air is provided;   supplying the pressurized air to the fuel cell system on a cathode side; and,   wherein said actuating the compressor arrangement includes selecting at least one of a number and a sequence of compressors from the plurality of compressors to be actuated for the journeys such that said selecting at least one of the number and the sequence differs at least for two consecutive journeys of the utility vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the number and the sequence of the selected compressors always differs for two consecutive journeys of the utility vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising retrieving one or more control parameters stored in a data memory; and, said selecting being done on a basis of the one or more control parameters. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more control parameters include historical data from the compressor in the compressor arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the historical data represent at least one of:
 accumulated operating time of the compressors;   accumulated number of start-up cycles of the compressors;   accumulated number of compressor shaft rotations of the compressors;   time of last previous commissioning of the compressors;   ambient temperature in previous actuations;   number of load changes in previous actuations; and,   accumulated operating time of the compressors in the upper load range   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more control parameters include performance data that represent at least one of:
 optimum operating point of the compressors;   mass of the utility vehicle;   route length of the journeys;   route topography of the journeys;   total storage capacity of the electrical storage unit of the utility vehicle;   state of charge of the electrical storage unit of the utility vehicle; and,   a combination of several or all of the above parameters.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more control parameters include temperature data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the temperature data represents information about an operating temperature of a cooling system of the compressors. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first number of compressors is actuated at the start of a journey. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a single compressor is actuated at the start of a journey. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein one or more further compressors are additionally actuated during the journey. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein one or more further compressors are additionally actuated during the journey on a basis of one or more of control parameters. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first number of the compressors actuated at the start of each journey differ in consecutive journeys. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least some of the air compressed by the first number of compressors is supplied to an air bearing arrangement of one or more of the further compressors. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising continuing to actuate the compressors during the journeys, even if an amount of compressed air required by the fuel cell system decreases. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said actuation of the compressors is continued as long as an efficiency of a respective operational arrangement including compressor, electric motor and power electronics remains above a predetermined threshold value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said actuation of the compressors is continued as long as an efficiency of a respective operational arrangement including compressor, electric motor and inverter remains above a predetermined threshold value. 
     
     
         18 . A fuel cell system of a utility vehicle, the fuel cell system comprising
 a fuel cell;   a compressor arrangement connected to said fuel cell in a fluid-conducting manner;
 said compressor arrangement having a plurality of compressors and being configured to provide pressurized air to said fuel cell on a cathode side; 
   a control unit connected to said compressor arrangement in a signal-carrying manner and configured to actuate said plurality of compressors of said compressor arrangement;   said control unit being configured to:   actuate said compressor arrangement such that pressurized air is provided;   supply the pressurized air to said fuel cell system on a cathode side; and,   wherein the actuating the compressor arrangement includes selecting at least one of a number and a sequence of compressors from said plurality of compressors to be actuated for the journeys such that the selecting at least one of the number and the sequence differs at least for two consecutive journeys of the utility vehicle.   
     
     
         19 . A control unit for a fuel cell system of a utility vehicle, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . The control unit of  claim 19 , wherein the fuel cell system includes:
 a fuel cell;   a compressor arrangement connected to said fuel cell in a fluid-conducting manner;
 said compressor arrangement having a plurality of compressors and being configured to provide pressurized air to said fuel cell on a cathode side; 
   a control unit connected to said compressor arrangement in a signal-carrying manner and configured to actuate said plurality of compressors of said compressor arrangement;   said control unit being configured to:   actuate said compressor arrangement such that pressurized air is provided;   supply the pressurized air to said fuel cell system on a cathode side; and,   wherein the actuating the compressor arrangement includes selecting at least one of a number and a sequence of compressors from said plurality of compressors to be actuated for the journeys such that the selecting at least one of the number and the sequence differs at least for two consecutive journeys of the utility vehicle.   
     
     
         21 . A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product including commands that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to form the control unit of  claim 19 . 
     
     
         22 . A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product including commands that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method of  claim 1 .